This sense of excitement should come as no surprise. Pinot Noir is a notoriously fickle grape and there are very few places on earth that can consistently produce the goods – parts of the US West Coast, the cooler regions in Australia and of course its homeland Burgundy. The land of the long white cloud is a welcome and wonderful addition to this exclusive club.

That New Zealand is currently producing some of the most exciting Pinot Noirs in the world is largely a result of two factors. The first is a marginal climate in which the grapes only just ripen, creating all of the finesse and subtlety of great Burgundies. Add to this the growing confidence and maturity of Kiwi winemakers, and you end up with some incredibly complex and interesting wines.

Around the regions

Pinot Noir is the most commonly planted red varietal in the country, with around 1,400 of vines grown in four main regions. Martinborough and Waipara Pinots are characteristically earthy, spicy and savoury, contrasting with the delicacy and sprightly acidity of Marlborough wines and Central Otago’s complexity and forward purity of fruit.